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Sammi Awuku, the Chief Executive Officer of the National Lottery Authority (NLA), has issued a reply to the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA-Ghana) and those advocating for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to choose a woman to be his running mate.

As the New Patriotic Party awaits who will partner their presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, in the December 7 elections, there are persistent calls on him to select a female.

The women lawyers argue that a "woman" running mate is the best option, expounding that she will resolve the challenges facing women in the country and help to accelerate Ghana's economic development.

They bemoaned the perennial neglect of women for political leadership roles, saying in an interview with Nana Yaw Kesseh on Peace FM's morning show "Kokrokoo" that "voting is not peculiar to men alone. We are all equal citizens."

"So, why can’t we open up and give both men and women the same opportunities?" they questioned.

They are therefore solemnly appealing to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to consider a female for the running mate position.

“When you take the US, it took them 200 years to get a female running mate or a woman who is currently their vice president. We won’t sit down for it to be 200 years before we choose a woman as Running Mate; we have to speak out,” the women hollered.

Responding to the FIDA-Ghana, Sammi Awuku stated that the Vice President cannot be pressured to heed any person's demand.

"The man is not under pressure, that I can say, and Dr. Bawumia cannot be pressured," he replied.

According to him, Dr. Bawumia, in consultation with the National Council of the New Patriotic Party, will make the right choice for the party.

"I have no doubt in my mind that Dr. Bawumia will make the best of decisions and the best of choices. He knows where his strengths are; he knows where his weaknesses are. He knows it's an election, and the election in December 2024 is not similar to an election of a Pope. He will definitely choose a human being, whether a male or  female, he said on the 'Kokrokoo'.

Mr. Awuku revealed the reason why Dr. Bawumia is taking so long to announce his running mate, saying, "what I can say for a fact is that the NPP flagbearer is still engaging in intensive consultation, and the honest truth is that he believes that choosing a running mate is more or less like a partner that you are choosing to complement where you think you are weak and to also give you support when you are low in terms of morale, in terms of encouragement, in terms of confidence."

Explaining Dr. Bawumia's challenge with deciding on his running mate, the NLA boss, who is a core member of the Veep's campaign team, said, "once you are human, there will be moments of pain. There will be a moment of joy. There will be moments where going forward becomes perilous. Flinching back is an act of cowardice, and standing still becomes suicidal."